> Hello,
>
> I'm looking for 4 new shock absorbers for my 1994 F-150, 2wd. I recently
> changed my tires to Dunlop 31x10.50r15 all-terrain type tires which seem
> to give a pretty good ride and handle ok too. Unfortunately, switching
> to this softer and larger tire made the suspension much "bouncier" than
> what I'm used to.

Jon,
Here are a couple of suggestions. I put air shocks on the rear
of my bronco from autozone and they have worked fine for me.
I paid $60.00 for the pair. They are the heavier duty ones. Easy
to put on and you have some control over an extra 1"-2" of raising
the rear for extra load capacity. I had had them on for about 2 years.
Sorry, but I forget exactly what the brand name on them was.

Also, a lot of guys on the bronco list like the Rancho RS-9000's.
They are a little pricier, but they offer an advantage of 4 or 5
ride settings from soft ride to hard ride. Here is the URL for
Dick Cepek.

Elizabeth:
From one novice to another -- Regarding tires, generally there are two
types of tires in terms of sizing: Standard (ex: 31x10.5-16) and Metric
(ex: 245/75/16) and . For Standard the first number refers to general
tire diameter the second to width with third number being the rim size
(in example 31 = 31 inches tall and 10.5 inched with for a 16" rim) For
Metric the first number is the tire width the second is the sidewall
'Aspect Ratio' (% of with) and again third number is rim size (in
example tire is 245 cm wide side walls are 75% of width tall for 116"
rim). A site that I have found to be helpful in understanding all these
numbers & terms is http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.kelly-springfield.com/buying/1.html (see
the left side bar "Tire Terminology").

Unless your looking for really big tires you should be able to find lots
options in metric sizes for the 16" rim (this rim also has greater
safety features in low tire pressure situations than the 16.5) Given
your truck you could probably go up to almost a 33" tall tire but might
be a bit much for your needs. The tires mentioned by others on the list
were:
245/75/16 = approx 30.6" tall by 9.6" wide (if on a 7" wide rim)
265/75/16 = approx 31.8" tall by 10.3" wide (on a 7.5" wide rim)
285/75/16 = approx 32.8" tall by 11.5" wide (on a 8" wide rim)

These dimensions vary slightly for manufacture, given you will spend a
fair amount of time in the desert I would probably go with the 265/75 as
it is a bit wider but not too tall or wide to reduce on road handling.
For rims consult your local tire shop to match with the tires you choose
but either 7" or 8" wide should work (8" might give you a bit more
flexibility if you decide to go with bigger tires later on). FYI I am
running 255/85/16 on my '88 4x4 F-250 (approx 33.3" tall by 10" wide)
and am going through the same dilemma now in choosing new tires.

For shocks Rancho 5000 are a great all around shock (cost is usually
$35-40 each)

Feel free to e-mail off the list if you want to discuss further -- I've
been doing a lot of 'tire' research lately.

- - A new '88 Dodge Caravan - Did have to go to Regional Rep. on that one, but
was fairly painless. Was after 4 years, so Dodge paid half (based upon
their estimate) & we paid half (about $400; seemed fair enough).

- - A used '87 Ford F250 - Bought used in '89, heard the report about the
paint on the news... Ford repainted under warranty, gave me the option to
shoot it with clear over the paint for $100 (total charge $100, with the clear).

All three blamed my peeling paint problems on "the environmentalists." They
said restrictions on fumes from the plant "neutered" the paint to where it
would no longer hold up.

One helpful bit of information from them, though, was regarding color and
metallic content of the paint(s) used... Everybody knows light colors are
cooler than dark colors (in terms of heat absorption or reflection). White
paint is 50-100 degrees cooler than darker colors. Metallic paints,
however, can run 100-150 degrees HOTTER than the SAME NON-METALLIC COLOR;
the light reflects around "inside the paint" and literally magnifies the
intensity of the heat. So a dark metallic paint can be over 300 degrees in
bright sunlight!

Now if I could just get Ford to stand behind their failing body panels and
welds on '94 F350 4x4's...

I have an 88 F350 4X4 crew cab with the 351 and would like to put a set of
headers on it. I've heard JBA's are good, any others? I also wondering
what to do with smog fittings coming off my current exhaust manifolds. You
know the ones, a metallic tube, one on each exhaust port, yeah, those. I
would like to get rid of them but I am not sure how that will affect the
way the truck runs. Would I also remove the air pump? I plan on putting
on another catalytic converter, possibly a hi-flow one, as well as from the
cat back. Basically a whole new exhaust. Are there Y-pipes to hook up the
headers to the stock location of the exhaust or can I use my old ones. Any
info would help. Thanks...

At 02:08 PM 6/11/98 -0600, you wrote:
>A good friend just sent an e-mail announcing he'd taken delivery on a 98
>Chev 2500. This friend had a 91 F-150 that he bought after asking me
>about what truck I recommended. I recommended a Ford. He owned a Chev
>at the time, as I did. About the time the warranty ran out on his Ford
>the paint started flaking off of the hood. He got the standard reply
>when he asked Ford to stand behind their paint. He was very pleased
>with his Ford but was bitter over the paint issue. He was ready to get
>a new Ford when he saw a post on a Ford list, it may have been this one,
>that related Ford attributing peeling paint on a newer model to acid
>rain. He decided Ford still hadn't gotten their act together on
>customer service and voted with his dollars. I wonder how many
>customers Ford has lost over their lack of acknowledgement of an obvious
>defect in workmanship.
>
>Larry

Ford now has a repainting program and will pro-rate the cost of
a paint job.

I had a similar problem on my 85(in fact twice over 7 years). Took
me a while the first time and less time the second time. Turned out to be
the Voltage Regulator. Even went to a H.D. unit both times. We'll see how
long this 2nd replacement(different unit) lasts. I have the shop manuals
and went thru the diagnostics both times. I don't know what kills these
Voltage Regulators. Truck's fine now. Relatively cheap and easy to replace.
Walt

> From: "Rick Wojciechowski"
> Subject: Re: FTE 80-96 - '91 F-150 6cyl
>
> Joe Lewis wrote:
>
> > Hello, maybe someone out there can help me. I'm new to this and am not
> > 100% sure I'm doing this correctly. I have a F-150 with an electrical
> > problem. The battery keeps draining as if there were an open circuit
> > somewhere. My question is : To anyones knowledge, is there a common
> > thing, or things that go wrong electrically on that year and
> Okay,
> I don't know of any specific problems with your '91. One
> VERY good possibility is that your voltage regulator is pooping
> out. [snip]
> - --
> Thanks,
> Rick Wojo
== FTE: Unsubscribe and posting info www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

I've seen Ford's with paint peeling, but it seems I've seen A LOT more Ch#vy's
peeling. Good thing he already took delivery of it, being as GM's work force is so
un*stable.

Chad

Smeins, Larry wrote:

> A good friend just sent an e-mail announcing he'd taken delivery on a 98
> Chev 2500. This friend had a 91 F-150 that he bought after asking me
> about what truck I recommended. I recommended a Ford. He owned a Chev
> at the time, as I did. About the time the warranty ran out on his Ford
> the paint started flaking off of the hood. He got the standard reply
> when he asked Ford to stand behind their paint. He was very pleased
> with his Ford but was bitter over the paint issue. He was ready to get
> a new Ford when he saw a post on a Ford list, it may have been this one,
> that related Ford attributing peeling paint on a newer model to acid
> rain. He decided Ford still hadn't gotten their act together on
> customer service and voted with his dollars. I wonder how many
> customers Ford has lost over their lack of acknowledgement of an obvious
> defect in workmanship.
>
> Larry
> == FTE: Unsubscribe and posting info www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

I was read ing some old digests from this spring (had some time to finally
catch up on a BIG backlog!), and noticed some instructions for recalibrating
the electronic odo on my '94 F-150 SC 4x4 w/ tow pkg. That got me
thinking -- since I'm about due for tires, are there any larger sizes I can
use on the stock 15" alloy rims to replace the stock P235/75-15's? For
example, is there a 265/?? for 15 inch rims? I'm not looking for "monster
truck" look or body trimming, just something to fill the wheel wells a
little more. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Rick,
Never saw a 460 F-150 factory. The emmisions tag under the hood will
tell you the engine size. You know the one that say Catalyst and has
the hose routing all over it.
Later,
Randy (Brew)

Rick Buchanan wrote:
[snip]
>
I beleive that it has a 351 motor in it. But the person that sold me
the truck swears up and down that its a 460. According to the VIN
number its a 351.
[snip]
== FTE: Unsubscribe and posting info www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

Mark,
Try Tyres International (I think that's the name):
http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.tyres1.com
They'll have alot of types and sizes for you to check out,
Later,
Randy (Brew)

Mark H. Neblett wrote:
>
> I was read ing some old digests from this spring (had some time to finally
> catch up on a BIG backlog!), and noticed some instructions for recalibrating
> the electronic odo on my '94 F-150 SC 4x4 w/ tow pkg. That got me
> thinking -- since I'm about due for tires, are there any larger sizes I can
> use on the stock 15" alloy rims to replace the stock P235/75-15's? For
> example, is there a 265/?? for 15 inch rims? I'm not looking for "monster....

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